The Nokia N86 8MP has received its v20 firmware upgrade a full week or so ahead of schedule, with v20.115 now available over the air (*#0000# on your homescreen) and via Nokia Software Update. There's a changelog below, but all you need to know is that this preserves user data and is a must-have - it's 8MB, large for an over the air update, takes over five minutes to apply and updates getting on for 6% of all OS files and modules. Read on.
Just a quick note that programme 6 of my Phones Show Chat audio podcast is now live, in which Tim Salmon (of this parish) and I natter about N97 hardware issues, Ovi Suite problems, how Android is licensed and then I rant about smartphone batteries. If you're interested, here's the RSS feed. And the iTunes one.
In another of my periodic case roundups, I explore a clutch of options for the Nokia N97, from in-situ shells to belt holsters. Surprisingly, this time around there are a number of options of almost equal relevance and quality and it will all come down to how you want a case to work.
In All About Symbian Insight 88 (AAS Podcast 150), Rafe and Steve talk about the release dates for some upcoming devices and preview the Nokia 5730. Rafe reports back from the Ovi Developer Day and Steve shares news of the latest Nokia 5800 firmware and upcoming firmware for the N86. There's also discussion about the Ovi Store and Vodafone 360. You can listen to AAS Insight 88 here or, if you wish to subscribe, here's the RSS feed.
If your SIM-free Nokia N97 has been 'stuck' on v11 for ages, try your 'Sw Update' application again today. People are reporting that v12.0.026 is now available as a 700k over-the-air update. And no, we've no idea what took Nokia so long either.... All data should be preserved, but an extra backup can't do any harm, just in case. All you'll have to re-enter are details of your Internet access points and any Bluetooth pairings.
In the first part of my coverage of the Nokia 5730 XpressMusic, I compare three slide-sliders (two of them Symbian) and reckon that a) on the whole, you get what you pay for(!) and b) that the 5730 XpressMusic contains a number of, at first sight, strange hardware design flaws. Rather surprisingly, too, I'd been really looking forward to trying this phone. The saving graces come when the sun goes down, as you'll see from the last photo in this initial impressions piece, when the 5730 exudes 'geek cool', and when you spot the 'extras'... Watch this space for a full, detailed multi-part review.
Just because we've (temporarily) stopped writing about the Nokia N97 (back in its box, awaiting v20 firmware in my case!) doesn't mean that you should be short of reading matter. Clinton Jeff has spent time putting not one but two N97s (one black and white white!) through an exhaustive photoshoot and review, so if you're craving more N97 discussion then head over to his self-proclaimed 'Ye Giant Nokia N97 Review'.
It has been a long, long, rocky path, but the Samsung i8910 HD is finally in mass markets - well, in some countries and for some networks, at least. And armed with II1 firmware, it's high time for me to wrap up this top-end Symbian flagship. Just how good is it and what are its weakpoints? Is it more of a media tablet than a full-on smartphone? Find out in our review (Rafe contributed text - it's a joint effort! And thanks to Stuart Clark as well for helpful feedback)
Yes, it's quite practical, once you get over the shock of seeing your svelte N97 turned into something rather retro in feel. Here's my review of the 3600... I'll repeat that: 3600mAh Mugen replacement battery (and cover) for the Nokia N97. And hey, you also get to choose between black and white, and you get a stylus thrown in - what more could the N97 owner away from home ever want?
Yes, no catches or tricks. Win a brand new Nokia N97 on behalf of All About Symbian and The Phones Show. The competition set-up video is also embedded below, I'll look forward to your video responses/entries! The competition will run for just over one week.
Exclusive: as shown in the screenshots below, the next firmware for
the Nokia N86 8MP includes a 'Face Detection' option, a feature not seen in a Nokia-branded camera phone before. With this, as you may have seen on some consumer Samsung phones, the Camera application can scan for human faces and will automatically focus on any that it finds. Also present in the next firmware will be significant photo quality improvements (less artefacts, better colours, also demonstrated below), a new Ovi Store client and, hopefully, a mountain of stability fixes - the N86 8MP v11 firmware is reckoned by some to be not fit for heavy use. [Updated with extra info and new screenshots]
The Nokia 5800 just got a firmware update via both Nokia Software Update (100MB or so) and over the air (6MB), to v31.0.008, for many worldwide product codes today. Changes are listed below, but do please comment if you notice something extra that's new or shiny! The usual caveats over backups apply, though the 5800 has User Data Preservation, so don't worry too much about your data.
If you're an AAS regular, you'll know that I love doing direct, informed comparisons between different cutting edge smartphones. Having been using the HTC Hero and Nokia N97 side by side for the last week, here's my head to head between Nokia and HTC's flagships. The result is somewhat predictable, but I do note that both devices are currently flawed and awaiting major software updates. The Hero's is apparently imminent, the N97's is about 3 weeks away. Still, hopefully it's an interesting comparison and worthy of comment.
